1969 - Kiss Me Kate

Egotistical leading man, director, and producer Fred Graham is reunited with his ex-wife, Lilli Vanessi, when the two are forced to play opposite one another in a new production of Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew. The battle of the sexes continues onstage and off, as it becomes clear that, as much as this couple profess to hate each other, they are also still in love. Alongside their bickering liaison, the show’s supporting actress, Lois Lane, supports her gambling boyfriend, Bill, as he attempts to evade the clutches of local gangsters. Throw in a number of cases of mistaken identity, the mob, and comedic routines into the mix and you get Kiss Me, Kate — a dazzling Broadway classic that earned the very first Tony award for Best Musical.

1969 - The Merry Widow

Franz Lehar’s delightful musical has been happily, tunefully sung and danced by many generations of performers since it was first written by the famed Hungarian composer in 1905.

Here’s a completely new look at the captivating “Widow” which remains true to the spirit of the original. Now the story’s unfolded in 14 adventurous scenes, combined with the sensitive musical direction (with additional music from other Lehar operettas) and suave and inventive staging. There’s much more development of characterisation, the humour really sparkles, the wit is both satiric and incisive.

The story is neither pure nor simple. Love is the name of the game played out by the principals, and we’re introduced to the proceedings by a master of ceremonies who bids the audience “Welcome”.

1968 - Oklahoma!

The first collaboration of famed partners Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, Oklahoma! set the American musical theatre standard. Set in Western Indian Territory just after the turn of the 20th Century, the spirited rivalry between the local farmers and cowboys provides the backdrop for the love story between Curly, a handsome cowboy, and Laurey, a beautiful farm girl. The road to true love is anything but smooth, but there is no doubt that these two romantics will succeed in making a life together. As the road to romance and the road to statehood converge, Curly and Laurey are poised to spend their new life together in a brand new state: O-K-L-A-H-O-M-A – OKLAHOMA!

1968 - Brigadoon

When New Yorkers Tommy Albright and Jeff Douglas get lost on a vacation in the Scottish Highlands, they stumble into Brigadoon. Brigadoon is a mythical village that, they learn, appears for a single day once every hundred years. At first, Tommy and Jeff are mystified by the villagers’ 18th century garb as they go to market, but they are soon charmed by romantic liaisons: Tommy, who is engaged back in New York, falls terribly in love with headstrong Fiona, while Jeff enjoys a harmless flirtation with Meg Brockie. It is only when Harry Beaton, the rejected suitor of Fiona’s sister, Jean, tries to leave Brigadoon that the two men realize the complicated truth: at the end of the day, this town will disappear into the mist for the next hundred years –- and if anyone succeeds in leaving Brigadoon, the town and the people in it will be lost, forever. Tommy is forced to choose between returning to the world that he knows and his New York fiancé – or taking a chance on life and love in a mysterious new place. Including such famous hits as “Heather on the Hill” and “Almost Like Being in Love,” Lerner and Loewe’s Brigadoon has music that will sweep you off your feet and a whimsical story that is a tribute to the power of true love.

1967 - Calamity Jane

In the wild-west outpost of Deadwood City, 1876, we find the sharpshooting tomboy, Calamity Jane surrounded by cowboys, townsfolk, and the famous Wild Bill Hickok. After a mix-up in the talent pool at Deadwood’s saloon-theatre, Calamity goes to Chicago to import to Deadwood the glamorous actress, Adelaide Adams, but returns by mistake with her maid, Katie Brown instead. Back in Deadwood, Katie’s inability to perform is overcome as she wins the heart of the young Lieutenant Danny Gilmartin, and when Calamity sheds her tomboy persona at a ball at the local Fort and becomes a true woman, she realizes that she loves Wild Bill Hickok.

1967 - The Gondoliers

The twelfth collaboration between composer Arthur Sullivan and librettist W.S. Gilbert, The Gondoliers (or The King of Barataria) tells the story of two charming Venetian gondoliers, Giuseppe and Marco, who are informed that due to an error of identity when they were young boys, one of them is the heir to the throne of Barataria. They are delighted with the situation and agree to share the responsibilities of governing their new kingdom until it can be ascertained which of them is which, but matters are complicated when the Duke and Duchess of Plaza Toro reveal that their beautiful daughter, Casilda, was married to the future king as an infant. The problem? Giuseppe and Marco are both newly married to the Contadine Tessa and Gianetta, and Casilda is in love with her father’s attendant, Luiz. Since its premiere in 1889, The Gondoliers has delighted audiences with its memorable score by Sullivan, and its political satire, cleverly tucked into Gilbert’s witty plotline.

1966 - La Belle Helene

Venus was so pleased to be chosen by Paris as the most beautiful goddess that she promised him the love of the fairest woman in the world. Unfortunately for King Menelaus of Sparta, that woman was his wife Helen. Paris came post-haste after Helen and was aided in his seduction by Calchas, the chief Augur of the temple of Venus, who daren’t cross the will of the gods. As a result, Menelaus was sent off to Crete by a bogus message from Jupiter while the two lovers got to know each other.

Unfortunately for Paris and Helen, Menelaus arrived home earlier than expected and found the two together. Helen tried to pass the affair off as a dream, but Menelaus was not quite the fool everyone thought and banished Paris from Sparta. Undaunted, Paris returned in disguise, abducted the not unwilling Helen and set sail for Troy.

1966 - Ruddigore

“RUDDIGORE”, Gilbert and Sullivan’s ninth opera, followed the immensely popular “Mikado” at the Savoy Theatre, London, early in 1887 and ran for almost ten months. This, being a burlesque of Victoria melodrama was very aptly named “Ruddygore” after discarding several other alternatives. However, the ladies in the first-night audience found the title “Ruddyore” distasteful so, much to the librettist’s annoyance, it was amended to “Ruddigore”.

This change of title did not alter the story. The Bad Baronet of Ruddigore (at this time Sir Despard Murgatroyd) still has to ‘do one crime or more, once, every day, for ever!’

This curse has been handed down ever since it was pronounced by one of the witches who fell victim to the first Bad Baronet of Ruddigore, Sir Rupert, – a man who spent his time persecuting witches. The rightful heir to this horrible curse is Sir Ruthven who took it into his head twenty years ago to leave home and is now secretly back in the village of Hederring as Robin Oakapple.

Robin thinks he is getting on rather well – he has fobbed the curse off on to his younger brother and the problem of his shyness and timidity is solved when he persuades his returned foster brother, Richard Dauntless, to propose for him to Rose Maybud, the belle of the village. Of course, when it comes to the point, the sailor has other ideas about who Rose should be marrying. Here begins the fun with the professional bridesmaids – all very keen for a wedding but they are not quite sure whose it will be. And no one is very sure how things will work out anyway as Mr. Gilbert in his true style, keeps you guessing.

1965 - Amahl and the Night Visitors

Director: John BarninghamMusical Director: Graeme Young

Synopsis:

Based on Italian folk tales of the Nativity and Epiphany, Gian Carlo Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors is a retelling of the story of the Magi from the point of view of a young disabled boy named Amahl, who lives in poverty with his widowed mother near Bethlehem. He sees a bright star in the sky one night and tells his mother to go look, but she brushes him off, buried in concern over their bleak future and lack of means with which to support themselves. That night, three kings come across their meagre hut and seek shelter, for they have travelled long and far following the star of which Amahl had spoken. They bring with them treasure and gifts to give to ‘the Child’ who has just been born and who will reign over all. Blinded by the lure of the gold and what it could do for her family. the Mother attempts to steal just a bit of the treasure, but is caught red-handed. What no one expects is a gift far greater than gold–blessed by the Child, Amahl finds himself suddenly cured of his disability. A vivid and accessible tale originally created for television, Amahl and the Night Visitors is a perfect first opera–or hundredth!

1964 - H.M.S. Pinafore

Takapuna Grammar SchoolAugust 1st – August 6th 1964

Rangitoto College
August 8th 1964

Director: Ranald McDonaldMusical Director: Graeme Young

Synopsis:

Since its premiere in 1878, Gilbert and Sullivan’s wildly popular operetta HMS Pinafore has delighted audiences with a nautically-tinged story of star-crossed lovers. The gentlemanly Captain Corcoran of the good ship Pinafore has a daughter, Josephine, who is in love with a lowly but gallant sailor named Ralph Rackstraw. The Captain forbids the marriage, wanting to match Josephine instead with the well-bred Sir Joseph, First Lord of the Admiralty. In the meantime, the Captain finds himself in nearly the same position as his daughter: his former nanny, Little Buttercup, falls in love with him, but he hesitates to reciprocate due to his higher social rank. The whole situation is turned on its head when Little Buttercup reveals a game-changing secret she has kept for decades. A rollicking farce with endearing characters, memorable tunes, and a hilariously happy ending, H.MS Pinafore is a classic, time-tested delight not to be missed.

1964 - Cox and Box

Takapuna Grammar SchoolAugust 1st – August 6th 1964

Rangitoto College
August 8th 1964

Director: Ranald McDonaldMusical Director: Graeme Young

1963 - A Coffee Evening of Opera

Takapuna Grammar School HallNovember 16th 1963

Director: R.I. McDonald

Synopsis:

Tonight’s performance is the first one by our newly formed Group. It originated by a number of music lovers gathering together at a private home to sing their favourite Gilbert and Sullivan, Verdi, Romburg etc. It then became evident that there was need for a Musical Society on the North Shore.

We hope to enrol those musical youngsters leaving secondary schools and other members of the community who could help us by their wealth of knowledge and experience.

I hope after you have seen our effort this evening you will give us your support in encouraging the younger members to join us in our quest of musical culture.